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Four Tops
The Four Tops is an American music group of four rhythm-and-blues singer who was successful in the 60, 70 and 80 of the twentieth century. The original lineup of the group were: Levi Stubbs ( lead singer ), Renaldo "Obie" Benson ( bass ), Lawrence Payton and Abdul "Duke" Fakir . During the most successful part of their career they were part of in the Detroit -based record company Motown . Contents * 1 History ** 1.1 The early years ** 1.2 The success years ** 1.3 The Four Tops today * 2 Discography ** 2.1 Radio 2 Top 2000 History The early years The Four Tops have known each other since high school. There also was that they began to sing together. They began under the name The Four Aims. In 1956 she was offered a contract with Chess Records. To avoid confusion with The Ames Brothers they chose to change their band Four Tops. Under contract with Chess managed the group was unable to break through. A meeting in 1963 with Berry Gordy would change that. He offered them a contract with Motown. In the beginning of their career with the Detroit record label names they mostly jazz songs for a workshop of the company. She also acted as backing vocals at some other Motown artists like The Supremes. When in 1964 the famous songwriter trio Holland-Dozier-Holland had written an instrumental but did not know what they had to do it they decided to come up with a text and make a number of the Four Tops. This song was the famous "Baby I Need Your Loving". The song took # 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. This broke a successful period for "The Tops" to. The successful years After the great success of "Baby I Need Your Loving" was decided that the Four Tops jazz did not do more. They are now among the most prominent artists of Motown.Henceforth singles were written for them. Their next two singles were "Without The One You Love (Live's Not Worthwhile)" # 43 and "Ask The Lonely" # 24. Incapable success to continue the first hit seemed the group does not succeed in the preferred position within Motown come true, but the next single, "I Can not Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) yielded their first # 1 hit. Then came another big hits like "It's The Same Old Song" and "Something About You". In 1966 wrote Brian Holland , Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland the second # 1 hit for the Four Tops, "Reach Out, I'll Be There", their biggest and most recognizable hit. With songs like "My Girl" by The Temptations , "Baby Love" by The Supremes and "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Gladys Knight & The Pips and Marvin Gaye, this number is still one of the most popular Motown songs. Even after this number continued to make the Four Tops hits, such as "Standing In The Shadows Of Love", "Bernadette" and "7 Rooms Of Gloom". On almost all these songs, the voices of women formed The Andantes anonymous backing vocals.Their singing some actually as much as the sound of the Four Tops itself. The instrumental accompaniment was owned by The Funk Brothers , as with almost all Motown recordings. They remained anonymous. When Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown late 1967, there was the Four Tops other material sought. They went even covers singing pop music , such as "Walk Away Renee" by The Left Banke and Tim Hardin -Song "If I Were A Carpenter". When Motown in 1972 announced to leave for Los Angeles they left the label. They got a contract with ABC-Dunhill. Since it went better with the Four Tops and they were top 10 hits with "Keeper Of The Castle" and "Is not No Woman Like The One I've Got". After a while dried at ABC Dunhill hits and left the career of the group fizzled out. The Four Tops today In the 80s, the Four Tops pulled it back a few hits such as "Loco In Acapulco", but then they took almost no records anymore. In 1990, the Four Tops were introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1999 and into the Vocal Hall Of Fame. The latter, however, would not live to see a member. In 1997, Lawrence Payton died of a heart attack. This was a tragic moment for the Four Tops. His place was taken by Theo Peoples. In 2000, when Levi Stubbs was also unable to act due to cancer, Peoples became the new lead singer Ronnie McNair and came into the group to fill in the empty spot. On July 1, 2005 died Renaldo "Obie" Benson after a long illness. His place was taken by the son of Lawrence, Roquel Payton. On Friday, October 17th, 2008 Levi Stubbs is deceased at the age of 72. Discography Radio 2 Top 2000 * Category:American band Category:Soul Band